#LostOnPurpose: When in Rome...

After a wonderful few days in Venice, we hopped back on the train and headed south to Rome, the country's bustling capital that houses nearly 3,000 years of art and architecture. What more could you ask for, right?

Well, as it turns out, Rome wasn't exactly my cup of tea...

We walked out of the train station and it immediately felt colder. The city was loud, busy and crowded. I hated it. (I see the irony in the fact that I live in New York City, arguably one of the loudest, busiest, and most crowded places in the world).

The next few days only seemed to give me more reason to dislike Rome. Public transportation felt difficult to navigate - and walking everywhere was time-consuming and wasn't as pleasant as it had been in other parts of our trip. On top of that, the streets were hard to navigate. Chas offered to take the reigns on planning a day for us, but following him only got us lost at a dead end next to a park we couldn't get into. We walked back across town for gelato (in an effort to lift my spirits), only to be served two scoops of delicious gelato... with a hair inside. And finally, to add insult to injury, it started to rain and we didn't have an umbrella.

Now, don't get me wrong, there is no denying that Rome is one of the most historic cities in the world. The ruins and culture housed within hold fascinating stories that teach us so much about ancient civilizations and their anthropologic significance. While I appreciate these facts, the truth is that ancient history doesn't really top the list of my favorite things. But when in Rome how can you how can you not go to Colosseum or the Forum? How can you not spend a day standing in awe and try to comprehend how people built these magnificent structures without a modern day crane or forklift?

Rome may not have a huge place in my heart, but I will always be grateful for what it has taught me about life... both past and present.